10 Deaf Dogs Myths and Facts

10 Deaf Dogs Myths and Facts

Did you know that some folks in the scientific community are studying deaf dog myths? When I heard this, I jumped for joy. It was a moment of excitement, relief and “I need to know more Right. This. Second!”.

My brain was firing synapses so fast that I could feel them ricocheting around my brain. My entire body was tingling with excitement! What were these deaf dog myths they were scientifically studying?

What about deaf dogs are they studying?

Are their facts they are learning?

Who is doing the research and how do I convince her (or him) to talk to me?

A few months ago, I stumbled across Animal Behaviorist Dr. Valeri Farmer-Dougan, PhD and her Canine Behavior and Cognition Laboratory at Illinois State University.

There wasn’t very much information on the university website about the actual research and findings that Dr. Farmer-Dougan and her team were working on, so I kept digging. I hunted and pecked my way through the Google machine until I found an abstract to a recent study Dr. Farmer-Dougan authored and published, but not the full study.

The abstract only fueled my appetite for more information, so I picked up the phone. Being 10:00 PM on a Friday night, I had no option but to leave a voicemail message explaining who I was, what I do and why I wanted to chat with her. And then the hard part– twiddling my thumbs all weekend long, waiting, hoping she wouldn’t think I was a crackpot weirdo.

I’m sure I was talking a mile a minute so no one couldn’t blame her for thinking I might be off my medication and in need of a different type of conversation with a different type of professional. Either I didn’t sound as crazy as I feared or she responds to crazy bloggers because she called me back on Monday morning. Of course, I missed her call.

For the next several months, we played phone tag. However, a few weeks ago, the stars aligned, our schedules meshed and she gave me nearly and hour and a half of her time- talking to me, sharing information about her work and answering my questions.

Dr. Farmer-Dougan has lots of keen insights into deaf dog behavior and cognition, which both reinforced things I knew or thought to be true, but also opened my eyes to some aspects of deaf dogs that I had never considered.

She also shared with me that elusive study that was published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior. Equally important though, she explained her findings and offered me reasons, explanations and theories for some of the differences that we see in deaf dog cognition and behavior.

Deaf Dog Myth #1: Deaf dogs are more aggressive than hearing dogs

Fact: Analysis of the data proves that congenitally (born) deaf or blind dogs are significantly less likely to display aggression than their hear or seeing counterparts! We’re talking 20% less! This data is important and should be memorized by deaf dog pet parents and advocates everywhere.

This one statistic can actually change perceptions and the lives of deaf dogs everywhere. The next time someone tells you that deaf dogs are more aggressive and dangerous, share this fact and take charge of that conversation.

Deaf Dog Myth #2: The only way to train a deaf dog is with hand signs

Fact: False. Though using hand signs to train and communicate with a deaf dog is very common, one alternative is to communicate with physical prompts or “touch training”. In fact, according to Dr. Farmer-Dougan’s research findings, touch training is used almost as frequently by deaf dog pet parents as hand signs.

Dr. Farmer-Dougan herself utilizes touch training, though not exclusively. Touch training involves touching the dog on different parts of the body or in different ways (1 tap, 2 taps, a short directional pet, etc.) to communicate different commands. One example she shared was teaching a deaf dog that a rub along the chin means to “come”.

Fact: No significant differences in frequency of separation anxiety was noted between deaf and hearing dogs, however my conversation with Dr. Farmer-Dougan revealed some interesting differences in the reason for separation anxiety between deaf dogs and hearing dogs.

Dr. Farmer-Dougan theorizes that the reasons for separation anxiety in deaf and hearing dogs is different. She believes that the primary cause of anxiety for deaf dogs is waking up or looking up from a really interesting dust bunny he’s playing with and realizing that his person has disappeared, whether that’s into a different room or from the house altogether.

She has noted that, in these circumstances, the deaf dog will go hunt for his person and, once found, will frequently return to what he was doing and relax.

A hearing dog with separation anxiety, she suggests, is more related to being left alone. For deaf dogs, it’s more of a case of “Where are you?” causing stress rather than, “Why am I alone?”.

Her recommendation for preventing “separation” anxiety in deaf dogs is simple: when you leave the room or the house, notify your deaf dog that you’re leaving. When this simple and additional communication occurs, she finds that deaf dogs do not exhibit behavior similar to separation anxiety. Of course, every dog is different, but this is a good rule of thumb.

Deaf Dog Myth #4: Deaf dogs don’t bark

Fact: False. Oh boy, is this false! In fact, excessive barking was reported by deaf dog pet parents much more frequently in comparison to hearing dogs.

This increase in excessive barking, along with other repetitive behaviors such as excessive licking of self and others, spinning and the chewing of inappropriate objects, are viewed as examples of self-stimulatory behaviors that deaf dogs are more prone to engage in.

Interestingly, other unwanted behaviors, such as chasing rabbits and cats, and rolling in and eating of feces occurred less frequently in deaf dogs than in hearing dogs. So, our deaf dogs may lick our faces more frequently but least it’s less likely that he’s just eaten his own poop!

Deaf Dog Myth #5: All deaf dogs are easily startled

Fact: True and False. Deaf dogs, depending on his or her individual personality and his personal life experiences may be more prone to startling when touched.

The circumstances of being touched also plays a big factor into any startling behavior. That said, any dog- hearing, deaf or blind- can startle. Also, startling behavior can be unlearned. Careful desensitization to startle responses can significantly reduce or eliminate this unwanted behavior.

Deaf Dog Myth #6:Talking or using your voice to communicate with a deaf dog is pointless

Deaf Dog Myth #7: Dogs born deaf are the result of irresponsible breeders

Fact: True..and False! Many but not all congenitally deaf dogs are deaf because of improper breeding. A very common example is breeding two Merle dogs together. The Merle gene is a dominant gene that can produce beautiful, healthy hearing and sighted puppies. However, when a Merle dog is bred to another Merle, 25% of the puppies are likely to be born deaf, blind or both.

The other most frequent cause of congenital deafness in dogs is related to a lack of pigmentation of the skin, not the coat. A significant lack of skin pigmentation cause nerve endings in the inner ear to atrophy soon after birth. When this happens, the puppy is left completely or partially deaf in one or both ears.

Since puppies ears don’t open up for the first week or so of life, these dogs frequently never hear.

Deaf Dog Myth #8: Deaf dogs are more bonded to their human than hearing dogs

Fact: True. Dr. Farmer-Dougan’s research reveals that there is a deaf dog exhibits a higher degree of attachment, physical and otherwise, to their human caretaker. This supports the anecdotal experience of deaf dog pet parents who frequently refer to our deafies as “velcro dogs”.

Deaf Dog Myth #9: Deaf dogs bark funny

Fact: True. OMG! is this true! In evaluating the bark of deaf dogs, especially during play, Dr. Farmer-Dougan, et al. found that a deaf dog’s bark is a combination of excitement and frustration.

As deaf dogs are less adept at picking up and learning social cues from other dogs (another interesting finding!) and because their deafness affects their ability to adjust the way in which they bark, deaf dogs tend to have a funny sounding bark.

If a deaf dog does have any residual hearing, it tends to be isolated to higher pitched sounds. Taken together, deaf dogs do tend to have a unique bark! Spend some time with several deaf dogs and you’ll quickly learning “the telltale sound”.

Fact: False. Dr. Farmer-Dougan and others do believe that hearing dogs can tell that something is different about a deaf dog, but have found that they typically do not adapt their behavior to accommodate this difference. The team are looking for ways to teach hearing dogs adaptation techniques when interacting with deaf dogs.

Dr. Farmer-Dougan is an incredibly smart, passionate scientist and animal lover committed to understanding both the cognitive and behavioral similarities and differences between deaf dogs and hearing dogs- and then using this data to help advocate on behalf of deaf dogs. I’m hoping to interview her soon so I can share her expert opinions in her own words. Watch this space…

Which of these debunked myths are you surprised by? If you could ask Dr. Farmer-Dougan one question, what would it be?

Comments

Very cool! Have you noticed that your hearing dogs don’t make exceptions for the deaf members of the pack? I have seen many cases where blind dogs are helped by a sighted friend. It seems as if the same would apply to hearing impaired friends. That is also interesting about the Merle dogs. Great post, Bernard.

Though I’ve seen and heard those amazing stories too, an dI know those dogs exist! But my hearing dogs do not adapt or “help” my hearing dogs (not that they need “help”). It’s interesting how some individual hearing or sighted dogs do adapt their behavior.

What a great post. Thanks so much. I find it really interesting about the separation anxiety. I work at a dog training facility and get to bring my (deaf) dog. He doesn’t scream when I put him in a crate at home, in fact, I can crate him and do work around him there, but at work, he will often scream and yodel (he usually gives up after 5 or so minutes and is quiet). I am now curious about if he is more likely to carry on if someone other than me puts him in a crate, or if he will scream the same amount if me or anyone does.

Two other ways I communicate with my deaf dog are scent and a vibrating collar. My dog came from rescue with a big startle reflex, especially prominent when he was awakened by touch. I started putting perfume on my fingertips, or using a spray bottle with scented water to wake him — took a bit longer, but the startle reflex soon disappeared. I trained a vibrating collar to the original command WATCH ME, and later transitioned that to a remote recall. I am also exploring scent for remote recall.

Fauxmaven,
When working on training with your deaf dog don’t be afraid to bridge reinforce him with a flashlight…this bridge stimulus, the flashlight, indicates to him that he performed the correct behavior, like sit for instance. When your dog hits his butt on the ground, flash the light so he can see (indicating the correct behavior) then reinforce him with a treat. It’s like using a clicker for normal dogs!!
-Collin (one of Dr. Farmer-Dougan’s research assistants)

I’ve used a vibration collar with my deaf Aussie. It’s for those times when we’re in the yard and she can’t see me. She took to it in ten minutes. She also trains in nosework with a class of hearing dogs. She’s very enthusiastic about the game. We may

Hallejuah to you for this post. A friend of mine has a Cocker who is going deaf. I referred him to your site and Deaf Dogs Rock. These are fantastic reasons and you have once again debunked myths. My last Cocker lost her hearing as she aged and we made sure she knew hand signals when her hearing was going. Thanks again for a bright post!

I really enjoyed this post. We have a young deaf white Velcro boxer. I assume he has congenital deafness. He is a rescue. His bark is normal but when he vocalizes he cracks us up. It is a cross between a moan and talking. Our son calls him “Captain Simple Jack” (from Tropic Thunder) when he does this.
My husband has said numerous times that he would pay for surgery if it would restore his hearing. He wants so badly for him to hear. I don’t feel bad for him. He is very happy and well loved. I think it would be terribly frightening for him to suddenly be able to hear.

That said, suppose there was a way to reverse congenital deafness. Would you do it for your deaf dog?

I’d have to mull it over, but my initial though is, no I wouldn’t. My deaf boys are congenitally deaf, so the have never experienced hearing before (except for a few specific decibels or frequencies). I would be concerned that suddenly being able to hear would cause a tremendous amount of stress. I can’t imagine what that experience would be like for a dog to whom we can’t explain things to.

I absolutely love this question! I may pose it to my readers and compile the answers. 🙂

This is spot on! I’ve had my deaf Old English Sheepdog for 12 years now and I’m finding everything you say here is true. I have found that some dogs do seem to adapt their behavior to his deafness and others not at all. When I have introduced new dogs into my home, it has been quite rough at first, because he can’t hear the warning growls that the other dog is giving him. This has resulted in some fighting, but over time they did learn to read each other and live together peacefully.

We have a rescue Cavvie who was born deaf. Def a Velcro boy. Goodness can he bark too. Usually if someone dares to walk or drive past our gate and my goodness if he sees an animal, real or cartoon on the tv. So so affectionate. Would appreciate some advice though. He is brilliant with other dogs off the lead but as soon as on the lead he is really loud and barky and pulls towards them. Any advice on lead control would be much appreciated as this has spread to our hearing girl also a Cavvy who now behaves in the same way.

Eleven years of the most amazing love and fun with my deaf boxer. The easiest boxer I ever had and I have had six. Everything I can associate with her and more. She loved music, sounds strange but she would lay near the speakers, head flat to the floor and just chill, and really chilled when she rolled on her back, legs in the air. Her bark was normal and never threatening unlike some of the others, though they were all soft they didn’t sound it. She was very verbal with quiet chatter and had definite sounds to let you know what she wanted, my others have just barked so a big difference. She did startle easily, compliments of a bad previous owner, (i took her at five months ) but we never touched her from behind and would wake her with an old jumper sprayed with my perfume, worked when it needed to but she had a sense of presence after a couple of minutes of being near. Patience is certainly a much needed virtue but so worth it. She had a sense of devilment when she didn’t want to come on command by signal but was easily rectified with a spray to her backside by a gentle water pistol. We introduced a pup when she was three as I hated never being able to let her run other than in our garden, big but boring after a while. It wasn’t easy but it worked. If there had been a procedure to give her hearing I would never have considered it, she was amazing as she was.

If I could sit down with Dr. Farmer-Dougan I’d love to ask if there was a correlation between bilateral deafness in dogs and early cataracts. I’d also love to hear what she might have to say about deaf dogs becoming blind as adults and how it would affect them cognitively.

My almost 13 year-old terrier was born deaf and developed cataracts at about age 6, he had cataract surgery at age 8 which was successful but he developed glaucoma about 18 months later. He is now almost totally blind. His behavior has changed in many ways and it’s difficult to determine if it’s due to blindness or if he is going into cognitive decline.

I’m encouraged to learn that there is serious research being done in this area and hope to hear more about Dr. Farmer-Dougan’s work.

I have a deaf double merle Aussie. The 25% stat refers to the chance each pup in a litter has of being born with a birth defect. My girl has a deaf brother who experienced vision issues in one eye as well.

One question I would ask is whether or not there have been any studies about the frequency of ischemic epilepsy occurring in double merle litters, especially with the deaf dogs. The more people I meet with DMs, it seems to be more common. My girl has epilepsy but her seizures are mild and controlled by medication.

I’ve added leash commands to hand signals and touch, mostly because I fell into it while making things up when I first got my deafie 10 years ago and found very little information on training. Worse still were trainers not willing to work with us.

Thank for this informative article and I will be looking into the Doctor’s work. I like that deaf dogs are 20% less aggressive. Ive seen that in the three deafies ive had. I need more informaTion as to why dEaf dogs bark, i think i get it, or i have a theory. Maybe its in large part due to breed . My ACD is a barker so we Closed the shaDes – no change, she barks as though shes hearing a train coming FROM THE other side of the mountains, lol.

What a geeat article!! I have 3 Danes. ONe is deaf. She does sound different when she barKs. She barks a lot!!! She gets anxiety when i leave her and lets me know it by dragging my stuff out into the liVinG room and then beats me up when i get home lol!! Shes great at taking cues From the other two. They know there is something different about her, bUt they baRk righ into her ears when they play. Shes really not that different from the others. It wasnt that much of an ajustment bringing her into the pack.

The Graffiti Dog focuses on deaf dog awareness, training, nutrition, health, enrichment and education. I am a storyteller who incorporates photo of my deaf dog Edison with bright, colorful street art and graffiti to connect and engage with my readers. Read More About Me and The Graffiti Dog Here...